Improvement in the manufacture of base-balls



l W. RECHTER.

v MANUFACTURE oF BASE-BALLS. l l No.174,511, Patented March 7,1876;

fag. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WOLF FLECHTER, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT'TOPHILIPP GOLDSMITH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE'OF BASE-BALLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,51 l, dated March7, 1876; application filed Y February 4, 1876.

u the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeingA had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification. y Figure lrepresents a side elevation of 4my machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinalsection, and Fig. 3 an end view of the same.

rIhe object ot' my invention is to produce certain improvements in theart of manufacturing base-balls; and consists in the combination ofdevices described below, and their employment in the manner and for thepurpose hereinafter setforth.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the lower portionof themachine, which consists of a solid rectangular' block, usually of wood,though metal may be employed, if preferred, having in its `upper surfacehemispherical depressions or cups a, approximating in their diameter atthe mouth to the diameter of the'ball to be produced. To this lowerportion is attached, by a strong hinge, B, the upper portion C of themachine, which is also provided on its lower or interior surface withhemisphericul depressions c, corresponding rin form and size with thelower cups a, and so located that when the machine is closed theseantagonizing upper and lower cups form together in each a sphericalcavity or die. The -upper portion C ofthe machine is provided with ahaft or handle, D, and weighted, as shown at E. To the sides of thelower block Aare bolted bars F, which serve, when the machine is in use,as guides for insuring a vertical movement of the upper block C. G Garestanchions, by'which the machine is firmly fixed to a supporting benchor table. y f

Base-balls are usually composed of strips of leather combined with acord or thread of twine, the two wound together to form a sphere, and soentwined with each other that as the ball increases in size by theaccumulation of material, each portion of the leather strip is confinedin its place by the overtwining and interlacing of thevthread or cord.

Heretofore a mallet has been employed for compacting the mass ofmaterial.

In order "to preserve the continuity of the work, only carefullypreparedleathern strips of considerable length could be conveniently used, andby the primitive method of compacting with the mallet the mass was withdifficulty retained in an approximately spherical form. The operationwas necessarily a slow and tedious one, resulting in the production ofan article comparatively expensive, and. of inferior compactness anddurability.

When my machine is employed, after the mass of material has attained toa portion of the desired size, it is placed lwithin the cup a, and theupper block C, operated by the haft D, is brought down upon it in aseries of sharp and heavy strokes, the ball being frequently turnedabout in the cup that each portion may receive the effect of the blows.

By this method the impact of the mass is rendered much more effectivethan with the mallet alone, so that scraps orbits of otherwise uselessand waste material may be utilized, resulting in the production of anarticle at once cheaper and more durable than that produced in the oldway without the use of the machine.

I claim Vas my inventionl. The described improvement in the art ofmanufacturing base-balls, consisting, essentially, in forming andimpacting simultaneously the material composing the ball, by means ofmolds constructed and arranged to operate substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the mold-bed A and impacting-block C, hingedtogether, and provided with lremispherical depressions, arranged tooperate substantially as and for the purpose set forth;

3. The combination ofthe forming'blocks A C, hinge B, handle D, weightE, and guides F, all constructed and arranged to operate in the mannerand for the purpose shown and described. Y

In .testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: WOLF FLECHTER.

H. L. OssIE, l eD. A. KENNEDY.

